Now Dolphins cheerleader alumni and host,# Maria Ferrer, says she has the perfect hidden gem with a Cuban flair.

It's called Marabu# and it's located in Brickell City Center.

Hi, how are you?

My name is Sandra Perez.# I'm the brand marketing manager for Marabu Restaurant.

Restaurant in Brickell City Center.

[Sandra] One of our visionary# owners, he went to Pinar Del Rio, and he had an experience with authentic Cuban# cuisine.

That countryside part of the Cuban, they used to make a fire and coal and# use the coal fire to cook their food.

[Sandra] Brickell City Center is one of the most impor.. seven years ago, our owners saw that,# so they saw that Miami will become one of the most financial district cities# in the United States.

They needed that Cuban high-level cuisine.

What we want from# our customers is when they get into Marabu, they feel the countryside of Cuba.

They# feel the nature, they felt the atmosphere, the level of the music.

I mean, they combine# and they can bring the soul into Cuba from here.

Marabu is top restaurant, Cuban restaurant.

So not very traditional Cubano cafe, right?

Not very traditional, but we were in the# mall.

We were in the Brickell City Center, and we were hungry.

And we said, okay,# let's, we went to the fourth floor, which that's where it's located.

We# found it.

It's very tropical oasis.

You're stepping out of the mall# and you in Havana in a second.

Okay, Ray, what did you think?

First impressions.

Yeah, I think that's what the restaurant# caters to.

It's for those out of towners, people that don't, aren't familiar# with Miami and you happen to be there.

[Michelle] Yep.

And it's a Cuban place, so why not?

Yes.

So, yeah.

Got it, JP?

I thought it was a interesting# take on Cuban food.

It o.. little bit more of a gourmet feel# to it in terms of presentation.

All right, Maria.

Well, what did# you have to eat this time around?

Well, as a Cuban girl who hasn't# had a croqueta or two, right?

But this one has, because it's coalfired prepared.

[Michelle] Okay.

[Maria] It has a dis..

Okay.

No, we didn't have.

I wanted to try something I've never tried .. Cuban restaurant.

There was something# on the menu called a Maduro Tentacion.

[Michelle] No, that was their own thing.

Yeah, their own thing.

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ray] Yeah, and so it's a swee.. split down the middle lengthwise# stuffed with cheese, mozzarella cheese.

Wow.

[Ray] And bacon with a rum sauce on top of it.

Wow.

Nice.

[Ray] So it .. Sure.

It was ver.. Sweet and savory altogether.

Sweet and savory, exactly.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

So w.. We had the ropa vieja empanada.

[Michelle] Okay.

And it had onions and peppers, and how better way to eat a ropa vieja,# with it been stuffed in empanada, right?

Right, agreed.

You know?

They had something on the menu called a Tuna# Toston, which was their ta.. [Michelle] Okay.

[Ray] So it's li.. On tostones?

It's a chip.

[Michelle] Right, oh okay.

[Ray] So it was a ve.. [Michelle] Okay.

[Ray] With.. [Michelle] And the tuna tartare as well.

It was very good.

That was good.

Oh, you had that as well?

I ordered the Taste of the Seasons# and that was one of the op.. Ooh, nice.

Fancy.

How fancy.

Did you like it?

I did.

Okay.

[Michell.. Ah, okay.

But it was good.

I mean, it had a lot going on.

It sounds like.

Yeah, it did.

Okay.

It did, yeah.

All right, let's talk main course.

My husband and I split a Cuban sandwich.

Okay.

How was it?

[Maria] It was delicious.

What else did you have, Ray?

I had the tasajo.

Tasajo, yeah.

Air cured dried beef.

Right.

[Miche.. [Ray] On top.. Oh, a tamal?

Yeah.

Okay.

The tasajo was I love Cuban tamal, it's funny, not a# lo.. which is very different from the Mexican tamal.

Yeah.

It has a..

Right, it did.

That's what that was, I had the same thing.

[Michelle] Oh, you had the same as well?

The tasajo, right?

'Cause it was# .. [Michelle] What'd you think?

[JP] There was definitely a unique f.. [Michelle] Yeah, the tamal.

It was sort on a bed of like, banana leaf as# well.

By the way, the presentations are very nice.

100%.

They plate the It sounds colorful.

The plating is v.. Every dish had its own unique little# nuance that stood out from your normal.

My girlfriend had the whole fried snapper.

[Maria] Wow.

Yeah.

And then t.. Oh cool.

Beautiful presentation.

[Michelle] So it's easier to eat that way.

Very flavorful.

It came with# two dipping sauce along with it.

But you really didn't need the# sauce.

The fish itself was sweet.

Was good enough.

It was an A+ in presentation.

What dessert came with your adventure?

We did the Nutella brownie and the best part# about it, they put caramel popcorn on top.

[Michelle] Not very Cuban, but delicious.

[JP] Not very Cuban, but it offered a# little bit.. [Michelle] How about drinks?

Anyone?

[Ray] My girlfriend had the mojito.

How was that?

Yeah.

[Ray] Good.

She said it was very go..

So how are prices?

I mean, I# know that Brickell City Center is probably has a very high rent to# it.

So how are prices in this place?

No, as I said, I think they're catering to a# specific crowd, which is the out of towners, the tourists that are there.

I mean, you# know, so the prices are comparable to that.

[Michelle] Sure.

I thought the prices were fair.

Well, you know,#I didn't have .. the couple appetizers and the sandwich, so# it was like $12 each.

So that wasn't bad.

That's not bad.

No, no, no, no.

[Michelle] You wanna talk?

I thought for Brickell, it was reasonable.

I think it was a good spot.

I'd like to# go back there for happy hour.

Yeah.

Did you guys park in Brickell City Center?

Yes.

Sum it up?

If you want a little bit of a Cuban flair with a little twist check out# Marabu, you'll enjoy it.

Yeah, right.

If you happen to be in Brickell City Center, it's a nice spot to be in and don't# sleep on the fried snapper for sure.

[Michelle] Okay, JP?

Again, if you're in Brickell City Center# and you want some good old fash.. soul food, Cuban soul food, it's a# good spot with a fancy, fancy twist.

Yes.

I love it.

Well, for.. it's Marabu located in Brickell City# Center.

There're at 701 South Miami Avenue, open daily from 11:30 to 10:00 PM and# late on the weekends.

Reservations are accepted with the average price for# dinner without drinks is about $45.